From the Gulf of Mexico to Jupiter s Moon Europa: ROV Encounters in Inner and Outer Space

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2 2016 MATE ROV COMPETITION: From the Gulf of Mexico to Jupiter s Moon Europa: ROV Encounters in Inner and Outer Space RANGER CLASS COMPETITION MANUAL For general competition information, including a description of the different competition classes, eligibility, and demonstration requirements, visit Team Info. CONTENTS OVERVIEW... 3 THINK OF YOURSELVES AS ENTREPRENEURS... 3 PART 1: PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION... 3 OVERVIEW... 3 SCORING OVERVIEW... 4 TIME... 5 RANGER CLASS REGIONAL PARTICIPATION/DEMONSTRATION... 6 CONTEXT... 6 NEED... 7 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)... 8 NEW IN 2016!!! SIZE AND WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS...15 PRODUCTION DEMONSTRATION...17 TASK 1: OUTER SPACE: MISSION TO EUROPA TASK 2: INNER SPACE: MISSION-CRITICAL EQUIPMENT RECOVERY TASK 3: INNER SPACE: FORENSIC FINGERPRINTING TASK 4: INNER SPACE: DEEPWATER CORAL STUDY TASK 5: INNER SPACE: RIGS TO REEFS TIME BONUS PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION RESOURCES PART 2: PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION PROP BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS & PHOTOS RANGER Class 1

3 PART 3: VEHICLE DESIGN & BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL Glossary and Acronyms Conventions Documentation Required SAFETY Safety Instruction & Observation Program and HSE Awards Safety Pre-inspection Safety Inspection Safety inspection protocol Safety Inspection Points SPECIFICATIONS Operational Mechanical/Physical Electrical Onboard Electrical Power Power Shutdown Fluid Power Control Systems Command, Control, & Communications (C3) MATE Provided Equipment Laser Safety Rules PART 4: COMPETITION RULES GENERAL...50 PROCEDURAL...51 DESIGN & SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS...54 PART 5: ENGINEERING & COMMUNICATION TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMUNICATION...56 COMPANY SPEC SHEET (ONE PAGE ONLY)...57 TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION...58 PRODUCT PRESENTATION...61 MARKETING DISPLAY...64 BONUS POINTS FOR MEDIA OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION...68 RANGER Class 2

4 OVERVIEW THINK OF YOURSELVES AS ENTREPRENEURS From deepwater oil drilling to the exploration of shipwrecks and installation of instruments on the seafloor, individuals who possess entrepreneurial skills are in high demand and stand out in the crowd of potential job candidates. What are entrepreneurial skills? They include the ability to understand the breadth of business operations (e.g., finances, research and development, media outreach), work as an integral part of a team, think critically, and apply technical knowledge and skills in new and innovative ways. To help you to better understand and develop these skills, the MATE ROV competition challenges you to think of yourself as an entrepreneur. Your first task is to create a company or organization that specializes in solutions to real-world marine technology problems. Use the following questions as a guide. What is your company name? Who are its leaders the CEO (chief executive officer the leader) and CFO (chief financial officer who oversees the budget and spending)? Who manages Government and Regulatory Affairs (i.e. who s in charge of reviewing the competition rules and making sure that they are understood and followed by everyone)? Who is responsible for research and development (R&D)? Who is responsible for system(s) engineering? Design integration? Testing? Operations? Who is responsible for fund-raising, marketing, and media outreach? What other positions might you need? (Depending on your personnel resources, more than one person may fill more than one role.) What products and services do you provide? Who are your potential clients? In this case, the MATE Center, the NASA Johnson Space Center s Neutral Buoyancy Lab, and Oceaneering International are your clients who recently released a request for proposals. A request for proposals (RFP) is a document that an organization posts to solicit bids from potential companies for a product or service. The specifics of your product design and rules of operation as well as the specifics of your product demonstration are included below. PART 1: PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION OVERVIEW RANGER class companies will take part in ONE product demonstration that consists of five distinct tasks: TASK #1: OUTER SPACE: MISSION TO EUROPA Measure the temperature of water emerging from a vent; determine the thickness of the ice and depth of the ocean; and connect an Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) to a power and communications hub. RANGER Class 3

5 TASK #2: INNER SPACE: MISSION-CRITICAL EQUIPMENT RECOVERY Use serial numbers to identify mission-critical equipment and transport the equipment to a collection basket for later recovery. TASK #3: INNER SPACE: FORENSIC FINGERPRINTING Collect two samples of oil from the sea floor, return the samples to the surface, and analyze gas chromatographs to determine the samples origin. TASK #4: INNER SPACE: DEEPWATER CORAL STUDY Take still photographs of two coral colonies and evaluate those photographs to determine whether the coral colonies are growing, stable, or decreasing in size. Collect two samples of another coral species and return the samples to the surface. TASK #5: INNER SPACE: RIGS TO REEFS Attach a flange to the top of a decommissioned wellhead, install a wellhead cap to the top of the flange, and secure both the flange and the wellhead cap with bolts. Companies will get TWO attempts to complete the product demonstration. The higher of the two scores will be added to your ENGINEERING & COMMUNICATION and SAFETY score to determine the total, overall score for the competition. Your regional competition may not allow TWO attempts to complete the product demonstration. Contact your regional coordinator to determine how many attempts you will get. SCORING OVERVIEW The competition consists of product demonstrations, technical documentation, product presentations, marketing displays, and safety with the following scoring breakdown: Product demonstrations o 260 points (max), plus a time bonus o Size and weight restrictions 40 points (max) o Product demonstration safety and organizational effectiveness 20 points (max) Engineering & Communication 260 points (max) o Technical documentation 100 points (max) o Product presentations 100 points (max) o Marketing displays 50 points (max) International competition ONLY 5 bonus points for media outreach RANGER Class 4

6 o Company Spec Sheet 10 points (max) Safety o o 30 points (max) International competition* points for safety observation program, including Job Safety Analysis (JSAs) TOTAL POINTS (not including the media bonus or safety observation program) = 610 NOTE: Regional contests may not require all of the Engineering & Communication components. Contact your regional coordinator for more information. TIME Each product demonstration includes: 5 minutes to set up at the product demonstration station 15 minutes to attempt the tasks 5 minutes to break down and exit the product demonstration station Your company will have 5 minutes to set up your system, 15 minutes to complete the tasks, and 5 minutes to demobilize your equipment and exit the product demonstration station. During the 5-minute set-up, you may reassemble your vehicle after the size determination and weigh-in and place it in the water for testing and/or trimming purposes, provided that a company member has a hand on the vehicle at all times and uses extreme caution. The 15-minute demonstration period will begin after the full 5 minutes of set up time expires, regardless of whether the company is ready to start the product demonstration. It may begin sooner if your CEO notifies the product demonstration station judges that your company is ready to begin. At any time during the demonstration, you may pilot your ROV to the surface and remove the vehicle from the water for such things as buoyancy adjustments, payload changes, and troubleshooting, but the 15-minute product demonstration clock will only be stopped by a judge who determines it is necessary for reasons beyond your control. Otherwise, the clock will only stop after all of the tasks are successfully completed, the ROV has returned to the surface under its own power so that it touches the side of the pool, and a company member at the product demonstration station has physically touched the vehicle. Your ROV is not required to return to the surface between tasks. Your 5-minute demobilization will begin as soon as the 15-minute demonstration time ends, regardless of where your ROV is located (i.e., still at depth, on the surface, etc.). Regional competitions may alter the set-up, product demonstration time, or demobilization time. Contact your regional coordinator to verify the timing of your product demonstrations. RANGER Class 5

7 TIME BONUS Companies will receive a time bonus for each product demonstration if you: 1) successfully complete all the tasks, 2) return your ROV to the surface under its own power so that it touches the side of the pool, and 3) physically touch your vehicle before the demonstration time ends. Companies will receive 1 point for every minute and 0.01 point for every second under 15 minutes remaining. RANGER CLASS REGIONAL PARTICIPATION/DEMONSTRATION All companies participating in the RANGER class are required to take part in a regional event. Companies that win their regional event can move on to compete in the RANGER class at the international competition. Companies will be assigned to the regional that is geographically closest to their location. If companies are located equidistant from two or more regionals, the MATE competition coordinator and the coordinators of those regionals will discuss with the company which regional is most appropriate. RANGER class companies that are prohibitively far from a regional event should contact the MATE Center (jzande@marinetech.org) for information about conducting a video demonstration. NO RANGER class companies will be permitted to participate in the international competition without either 1) winning their regional event or 2) submitting a video demonstration that is then approved by MATE competition officials. CONTEXT Since its inception in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has accomplished many great scientific and technological feats in air and space. However, NASA s work and impact is not limited to aerospace. NASA technology also has been adapted for many non-aerospace uses by the private sector; the technique of freeze-drying food is one example. The agency also plays a role in ocean science and exploration. NASA has been observing the earth s oceans from space for decades. NASA launched Seasat, the first civilian oceanographic satellite, on June 28, Seasat was followed by Tiros-N. Today there are several ocean-observing satellite missions and an extensive scientific research community studying this data. Satellite data and modeling techniques allow scientists to map and monitor seasonal changes in ocean surface topography, currents, waves, winds, phytoplankton content, sea-ice extent, rainfall, sunlight reaching the sea, and sea surface temperature. During the last decade, forecasting models used NASA s satellite data to improve the ability to predict events such as the El Niño climate oscillation phenomenon and other global and regional climate cycles. Similarly, global oilfield services provider Oceaneering International s work is not only in subsea oilfield production; the company s Entertainment Systems division contributes to the cutting-edge development of theme park technologies (think Disney!), including dark ride vehicles and show systems. Oceaneering also has RANGER Class 6

8 divisions that focus on land surveying and mapping, video and data collection and management, and outer space. Oceaneering s Space Systems (OSS) division develops, integrates, and applies both new and existing technologies to the challenges of operations in space and other harsh environments. OSS specializes in the design, manufacturing, certification, maintenance, and testing of thermal protection systems for rockets; equipment for humans to use in space; and robotic systems for military, space, and biological research applications. The Space Systems division of Oceaneering also provides specialized engineering and support services in these areas and in astronaut training at NASA s Johnson Space Center s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) and Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF). OSS is one of several in-house commercial tenants at the NBL/SVMF that supports NASA s programs. The company oversees astronaut training for extravehicular activities (EVAs or spacewalks ) and intravehicular activities (IVAs or activities that take place inside the spacecraft). OSS also teams with NASA scientists and engineers to find solutions to problems as well as ways to accomplish NASA priorities such as recovering mission-critical equipment from the ocean floor and developing robots to explore oceans on other planets and natural planetary satellites in our galaxy. In addition to working together, both NASA and Oceaneering partner with other organizations that have similar project interests and priorities. Given the location of their facilities, this includes organizations with scientific, commercial, and conservation efforts taking place in the Gulf of Mexico. NEED NASA and Oceaneering Space Systems (OSS) have issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a first-of-its-kind, dual purpose remotely operated vehicle that can operate in the harsh environments of both the deep ocean and outer space. Specifically, scientists and engineers at these organizations are in need of a robot that can 1) survive transport to Jupiter s moon Europa and operate in the ocean under its ice sheet to collect data and deploy instrumentation; 2) find and recover critical equipment that sank in the Gulf of Mexico after a recent series of testing programs; 3) collect samples and analyze data from oil mats located in the northern Gulf of Mexico to determine their origin ; 4) photograph and collect samples of deep-water corals to assess their health post-deepwater Horizon oil spill; and 5) prepare a wellhead for decommission and conversion into an artificial reef. Before launch and operations in inner and outer space, the robot must complete a series of product demonstrations staged in the 6.2-million gallon, 40-foot deep Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL). (Depth requirements vary depending on robot class; see VEHICLE DESIGN & BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS below.) Companies that successfully complete the product demonstrations and deliver exceptional engineering and communication components (e.g. technical documentation, product presentations, and marketing displays) will be awarded the contract. This is where your work begins. RANGER Class 7

9 Visit for sound advice from MATE judge Marty Klein. He references 2015, but his words still hold true for this competition season! REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 1. General a. Mission to Europa NASA s Galileo mission to Jupiter in the late 1990s produced strong evidence that Europa, one of Jupiter's moons that is about the size of Earth s moon, has an ocean beneath its frozen crust. Additional evidence was gathered in 2012, when the Hubble Space Telescope observed water vapor above Europa s southern polar region. If proven to exist, this global ocean could hold more than twice as much water as Earth. With abundant salt water, a rocky sea floor, and the energy and chemistry provided by tidal heating, Europa may have the ingredients needed to support simple organisms. On December 16, 1997, the Galileo spacecraft flew within 200 km of Europa's surface, allowing its cameras to resolve details as small as 6 meters. Photo credit: All systems are go for a reconnaissance mission to Europa. NASA will launch a highly capable, radiation-tolerant spacecraft to Jupiter in the 2020s. When it arrives several years later, the spacecraft will enter into a long, looping orbit around Jupiter to perform repeated, close flybys of Europa. The mission plan currently includes 45 flybys at altitudes varying from 2,700 to 25 kilometers. The spacecraft s payload will include cameras and spectrometers to produce high-resolution images of Europa s surface and determine its composition. An ice-penetrating radar will determine the thickness of the moon s icy shell and search for subsurface lakes similar to those RANGER Class 8

10 beneath Antarctica s ice sheet. The mission will also carry a magnetometer to measure the strength and direction of the moon s magnetic field, which will allow scientists to determine the depth and salinity of its ocean. Based on the findings gathered from this reconnaissance, NASA will propose a second mission to Europa, this one with the goal of landing on the moon s icy surface. The mission plan would include penetrating the ice sheet to perform detailed, long-term investigations of the waters and seafloor below, with the hope of finding evidence of life elsewhere in our galaxy. b. Mission-Critical Equipment Recovery CubeSats are miniaturized satellites; they are part of a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The CubeSat concept was developed in 1999 by professors at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and Stanford University's Space Systems Development Lab. Their goal was to enable graduate students to design, build, test, and operate a spacecraft with capabilities similar to that of the first spacecraft, Sputnik. The first CubeSat was launched in Today, more than 60 universities and high schools participate in the CubeSat Project managed by these two universities. Student-built CubeSats are released from the international space station's Kibo module. Photo credit: NASA. The CubeSat that was initially proposed did not set out to become the standard, but over time it became just that. CubeSats are built to standard dimensions (Units or U ) of 10cm x 10cm x 11cm. They can be 1U, 2U, 3U, or 6U in size, and typically weigh less than 1.33 kg (3 lbs) per U. CubeSats are most commonly put in orbit by deployment systems on the International Space Station or launched as secondary payloads on a launch vehicle. RANGER Class 9

11 These tiny, box-shaped spacecraft have emerged in the last 16 years as a quick, viable way to test components and techniques that, if proven, can be applied to much larger missions where the stakes are far greater than a simple, 10cm cube. The price tag for each mission is one-tenth the cost of the least-expensive traditional launcher. Academia accounted for the majority of CubeSat launches until 2013, when over half of the launches were for non-academic purposes. By 2014, most newly deployed CubeSats were for a commercial or amateur project. CubeSats have been built by large and small companies alike; some have been the subject of Kickstarter campaigns. These mini-satellites are revolutionizing the space industry by placing the ability to conduct space science and exploration in the hands of students, teachers, working professionals, and Makers of all ages. Recognizing the benefits to the space community, NASA supports CubeSat development and research through its CubeSat Launch initiative (CSLI). The CSLI provides opportunities for CubeSats to fly on rockets planned for upcoming launches. The CubeSats essentially piggyback as auxiliary payloads on previously planned missions, collecting information, testing new technologies, and furthering what we know about outer space. c. Forensic Fingerprinting The Deep-C (Deep Sea to Coast Connectivity in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico) Consortium was created as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in While the overarching goal of the Consortium is to study the long-term effects of the spill, new technologies used by Deep-C scientists have global impacts on scientific research. One technological advancement is the ability to thoroughly fingerprint oil samples. The term fingerprinting has become commonly used shorthand for determining a substance s origin or source. For example, in DNA fingerprinting such as seen in TV shows like CSI, investigators match the presence or absence of specific gene sequences to that seen in DNA samples of known origin. Oil is a complex mixture of various hydrocarbons (carbon-containing compounds of different molecular weights) and associated impurities. Some of these hydrocarbons have molecular weights that cause them to be gaseous at temperatures and pressures found in the ocean, while others are liquids of various viscosity or stickiness. Oil from different sources varies in the specific hydrocarbons present as well as in the abundance of these hydrocarbons (and impurities). Therefore, in a manner analogous to DNA, oil can be fingerprinted to a specific source or origin. Chromatography is a scientific tool that separates mixtures based on their different chemical and physical properties such as molecular weights. In general, gas or liquid chromatography works by combining a sample with some type of non-reactive carrier molecule that transports the sample through a column. The column contains chemical compounds that retain the various components RANGER Class 10

12 of the sample based on their properties, such as molecular weight. The resulting data can be represented in a chromatogram, a graph of the abundance of the various components versus retention time in the column. Photo credit: Trying to separate mixtures of very similar molecular weight compounds requires a more involved process, known GC x GC (gas chromatography x gas chromatography). In the GC x GC technique, there are two columns; after the sample flows through the first column, parts of the sample are collected and injected into the second column, which results in greater separation. This powerful new technique is increasing scientists ability to produce a more detailed fingerprint and, therefore, more accurately determine the origin of events like an oil spill. d. Deepwater Coral Study During the three months between the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and when the Macondo wellhead was capped on July 15, 2010, approximately 4.1 million barrels (~650,000 m3) of crude oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico at 1,520 m depth. Because of the physics of the spill, as well as the extensive use of dispersants, much of the oil and gas remained at depth. In addition, weathering, burning, and the application of dispersants to surface slicks resulted in a return of hydrocarbons to the deep sea. These hydrocarbons and dispersants had the potential to harm numerous deep-sea communities that are, by nature, difficult to access and assess. These communities include species of colonial, cold-water corals. Most deepwater corals, including Paramuricea species, are slow-growing; individual gorgonian colonies (also known as sea whips or sea fans) can live for hundreds to thousands of years. As a result, these corals and the communities that form on and in association with them are unlikely to recover quickly from events that are lethal to significant portions of the corals. RANGER Class 11

13 Shortly after the spill, researchers found coral at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico covered with black scum and a gooey brown mixture of material 11 km southwest of the Macondo wellhead. Photo credit: Chuck Fisher, Penn State University, and Tim Shank, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Scientists began studying the effects of the massive spill on Gulf of Mexico deepwater coral species within three months after the well was capped. In addition to colonies of Paramuricea species, they investigated scleractinian, also called stony or hard, coral species. While samples were collected for laboratory analysis, care was taken not to cause additional damage to the organisms. Scientists also used non-evasive methods. These included collecting and digitizing still images so that they could be analyzed for signs of visible impact and compared to subsequent photos to assess the spill s effect on the corals over time. e. Rigs to Reefs Rigs-to-Reefs is the practice of converting decommissioned offshore oil and gas platforms into artificial reefs to support marine habitat. In the United States, where the practice started and is most common, Rigs-to-Reefs is a nationwide program developed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Oil platforms make ideal reefs because they are environmentally safe, are constructed of highly durable and stable material, and already support a thriving reef ecosystem below the waterline since many of the structures have been in the water for 30 years or longer. From a rig to a reef the transformation begins quickly. Marine species, including fish, find the structure immediately. Invertebrates settle within a month, and after six months to a year, the site is well established as an artificial reef. RANGER Class 12

14 Scuba divers are yet another species that benefits from the Rigs-to-Reef program. Photo credit: The structures are inspected before any reefing takes place to locate environmental hazards. All decks (where oil production occurs) are removed and taken to shore for recycling or reuse. All equipment associated with the deck is removed in the process (such as drilling equipment, tanks, pumps, buildings, etc.). Insides of legs are inspected to ensure that they contain no petroleum. All wells below the structure are plugged or capped by the company that owns the platform, according to standards set by the BOEM. Once the cap is secured, the structure s life as oil platform ends and its tenure as a home to marine species officially begins. f. Document Scope and Purpose This and the following sections contain the technical specifications and requirements for ROV services needed to support both the space and ocean science and technology community. In 2016, ROV services include: 1) MISSION TO EUROPA Measuring the temperature of venting fluid. Determining the thickness of the ice crust. Determine the depth of the ocean under the ice. Connecting the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) to the power and communication hub. Retrieving the ESP s cable connector from the elevator. Laying the ESP cable through two waypoints. Opening the door to the port on the power and communications hub. Inserting the cable connector into the port on the power and communications hub. 2) MISSION CRITICAL EQUIPMENT RECOVERY Positioning equipment to find the four desired serial numbers. RANGER Class 13

15 Transporting the equipment and placing it in a collection basket. 3) FORENSIC FINGERPRINTING Retrieving oil samples from the seafloor. Returning oil samples to the surface. Analyzing a gas chromatograph of each sample to determine its origin. 4) DEEPWATER CORAL STUDY Photographing two coral colonies. Comparing images to previous years and assessing their condition. Returning two coral samples to the surface. 5) RIGS TO REEFS Installing a flange to the top of the wellhead. Securing the flange to the wellhead with one bolt. Installing a wellhead cap over the flange. Securing the cap to the flange with two bolts. 2. Specifications See the specific tasks described below as well as the VEHICLE DESIGN & BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS and COMPETITION RULES sections. 3. Maintenance and Technical Support The company shall warrant the ROV and associated systems and equipment for at least the duration of the product demonstrations. Repair or replacement shall be at the company s expense, including the cost of shipping the ROV to and from the competition facility. During regional events, the company shall provide at least one day of technical support to resolve hardware, software, and operational issues. They shall provide at least three days of the same for the international event. 4. Shipping and Storage Refer to Shipping Information for specifics on shipping to the international competition site. Delivery of the ROV and associated systems and equipment shall be no later than the date of the geographically closest regional contest or by June 23, 2016, which is the start date of the international competition. 5. Evaluation Criteria a. Technical documentation b. Product presentation c. Marketing display RANGER Class 14

16 d. Product demonstration 6. References a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. IMPORTANT NOTE: Questions about production demonstrations and design and building specifications must be posted to the competition FAQs board located at This allows all companies to see the questions and answers and helps to avoid duplicate questions. That said, please make sure that your question(s) has not already been asked and answered before posting. It is up to the companies to read, comprehend, and comply with ALL rulings posted on the FAQ board. NEW IN 2016!!! SIZE AND WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS Launching payloads into orbit can cost NASA in excess of ~$20,000 USD per kilogram;* limiting the size and weight of objects launched into space is very important. In 2016, RANGER class vehicles will have a size limit that they may not exceed. In addition, bonus points will be awarded to companies that design smaller, lighter vehicles. Vehicles will measured and weighed in the RANGER on-deck circle 45 minutes prior to the company s product demonstration runs. Note that the vehicle will be measured and weighed before all product demonstration runs. The size and weight bonus, if any, will be added into the product demonstration score. Size Measurements Size measurements will be made using the two largest dimensions of the ROV. Four flat sheets with 48 cm, 54 cm, 60 cm, and 75 cm diameter holes cut into their centers (one hole per sheet) will be located on a table in the on deck circle. Companies will place their vehicles on the table and, when ready, ask a MATE Center competition official to make the size measurement. The vehicle measurement must include the vehicle, all manipulators/tools that will be used in the product demonstration as well as the vehicle s tether. The control system and 1 meter of tether may be outside of the measurement circle. Companies may detach manipulator RANGER Class 15

17 arms and other equipment and place that equipment, next to, on top of, or inside the vehicle frame, but all of the equipment that will be used must be present and fit within the measurement circle. For example, a company may remove a manipulator arm that extends 20 cm in front of the vehicle and place it on top of the vehicle. The measurement will be made with the arm on top of the vehicle provided that the length and width are still the largest diameters. The hole in the flat sheet must fit over the two largest dimensions of the ROV. If the ROV and all its equipment fit within the hole of 48 cm in diameter, the company will receive +20 bonus points. If the ROV and all its equipment fit within the hole of 54 cm in diameter, the company will receive +10 bonus points. If the ROV and all its equipment fit within the hole of 60 cm in diameter, the company will receive +5 bonus points. If the ROV and all its equipment fit within the hole of 75 cm in diameter, the company will receive no bonus points, but can still compete in the product demonstration. If the ROV and all its equipment do not fit within the 75 cm in diameter hole, the company will not be permitted to compete in that product demonstration run. A RANGER class vehicle, with tools attached and tether coiled beside the ROV, inside the 48 cm diameter circle. This vehicle would earn the company +20 bonus points on the product demonstration score. Weight Measurements Weight measurements will be conducted using a hanging digital scale. The MATE Center will provide lines that can be used to help hang and position companies ROVs. The weight of the lines will be zeroed out before the vehicle is weighed so that the weight of the lines will not add to the weight of the ROV. Companies will be responsible for lifting their vehicles into position and attaching the lines. If the ROV, including its tether, weighs 11.0 kg or less, the company will receive +20 bonus points. If the ROV weighs between kg and 12.0 kg, the company will receive +10 bonus points. If the ROV weighs between kg and 14.0 kg, the company will receive +5 bonus points. An ROV weighing more than 14.0 kg will receive 0 bonus points, but will RANGER Class 16

18 still be allowed to compete. NOTE: The control system and 1 meter of the tether may be placed on the table below the ROV and not included in the weigh-in. Regardless of the ROVs weight, companies must be able to personally transport the vehicle and associated equipment to the product demonstration station and to the product presentation room. ROV systems must be capable of being safely hand launched. Hand powered lifts and levers and tether management systems may be used with the vehicle. Hand powered lifts and levers will not count towards the size or weight of the ROV. Tether management systems that can be separated from the vehicle will not count towards the size or weight of the ROV. Only the six designated product demonstration team members will be allowed into the on-deck circle during and after the measurement and weigh in. Once a company s vehicle has been measured and weighed, it must remain there until the company moves to its product demonstration station. Companies that detach equipment from the vehicle may not re-install that equipment until the 5-minute set up period. At that time, companies may replace any items that were detached for the measurement, but no new equipment (i.e., equipment that was not included in the size and weight measurements) may be added to the vehicle. If it is discovered that a company added equipment that was not included in the measurements, the company will not be permitted to compete in that product demonstration run. A video showing a simulated size measurement can be found here and *Reference: PRODUCTION DEMONSTRATION TASK 1: OUTER SPACE: MISSION TO EUROPA Your company must descend to the bottom of the ocean on Jupiter s moon Europa. Once there, your company is tasked with measuring the temperature of fluid venting from a crevice on the seafloor by inserting a temperature sensor into the flow. RANGER Class 17

19 Artist concept of NASA's Europa mission spacecraft approaching its target for one of many flybys. Photo credit: NASA. Your company is also tasked with determining the depth at two points: the bottom of the ice sheet and the seafloor. The distance between the surface and the bottom of the ice sheet will determine the thickness of the ice sheet. The distance between the bottom of the ice sheet and the seafloor will determine the depth of the ocean under the ice. A model for the potential composition of Jupiter s moon Europa. Photo credit: Finally, your company must connect an Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) to the power and communications hub. Both the ESP and the power and communications hub have already been deployed on the sea floor. Your vehicle must retrieve the cable connector from the ESP s elevator and lay the cable through RANGER Class 18

20 two waypoints to simulate avoiding potentially hazardous terrain. Once the cable has been laid through the two waypoints, your vehicle must open the door on the power and communications hub, and insert the cable connector into the port on the hub. An ESP being prepared for deployment and later connected to the MARS (Monterey Accelerated Research System) cabled observatory, 900 m deep in Monterey Bay. Photo credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA. This task involves the following steps: Inserting the temperature sensor into the venting fluid 10 points Measuring the temperature of the venting fluid up to 20 points o Temperature measurement is within 3 o C of benchmark 20 points o Temperature measurement is within 4 o C of benchmark 10 points o Temperature measurement is within 5 o C of benchmark 5 points Determining the thickness of the ice crust up to 10 points o < 10 cm from true depth 10 points o > 10 cm from true depth 0 points Determining the depth of the ocean under the ice up to 10 points o < 10 cm from true depth 10 points o > 10 cm from true depth 0 points Connecting the ESP to the power and communications hub up to 50 points maximum o Retrieve the ESP s cable connector from the elevator 5 points o Lay the ESP cable through two waypoints 10 points each (20 points total) o Open the door to the port on the power and communications hub 5 points o Insert the cable connector into the port on the power and communications hub 20 points RANGER Class 19

21 TOTAL POINTS = 100 Product Demonstration Notes: The steps of the Mission to Europa task may be done in any order with the exception of connecting the ESP to the power and communications hub. Companies must retrieve the ESP connector, lay the cable through two waypoints, open the door on the power and communications hub, and insert the connector into the port in that order. Companies may alternate between the steps of the Mission to Europa task and other tasks. Companies are responsible for providing their own temperature sensor; the MATE Center will not provide one. Power for the temperature sensor must come from the surface, either independently or through the ROV; no on-board batteries of any type are allowed. Companies may use USB to connect their sensor to a computer. Companies may also use surface battery packs (limited to 12 volts maximum), or the MATE supply to provide power for their temperature sensor (independently or through the ROV). An independent battery pack must be fused with a 3 amp fast blow fuse. If companies are using the MATE supply to power a sensor, both ROV and sensor must run through the single 25 amp fuse before splitting off to the 3 amp sensor fuse. (See ELEC- 001R for more information.) The crevice will be constructed from a ¾-inch PVC pipe and a ¾-inch PVC connector that protrudes from the top of a 5-gallon bucket. A 360 GPH (gallon per hour) bilge pump will push water through the ¾-inch pipe; companies should be prepared for that flow rate. Companies will receive 10 points when they successfully insert their temperature sensor into the emerging flow. Successfully inserting the sensor means that the emerging water does not push the sensor away and out of the flow. The sensor must stay in the flow for at least 5 seconds to be considered successfully inserted. Once the sensor is inserted, companies must measure the temperature of water emerging from the pipe. Companies must show the product demonstration judge a temperature reading in degrees Celsius. The product demonstration judge will compare the given temperature reading to the benchmark provided by a MATE Center temperature probe. Companies will receive 20 points if their reading falls within 3 o C of the MATE benchmark temperature reading. The MATE Center temperature probe will be positioned approximately 4 cm down inside the ¾-inch PVC coupling. Companies must also determine the depth at two points: the bottom of the ice sheet and the bottom of the seafloor. There will not be a real or simulated ice sheet in the pool. Rather, a horizontal line on the wall of the pool will denote the bottom of the ice sheet. A second horizontal line on the pool wall will denote the bottom of the seafloor. The line denoting the bottom of the ice sheet will be made by a horizontal, 1 meter length of ½-inch PVC pipe with a PVC cross in the middle. Both the pipe and the cross will be painted red. The line denoting the seafloor will be made by a horizontal, 1 meter length of ½-inch PVC pipe with a PVC cross in the middle. Both the pipe and the cross will be painted yellow. The official MATE depth measurement will be to the exact middle of each painted PVC cross. Using their depth readings, companies must calculate the distance (depth) between the surface and the mark RANGER Class 20

22 denoting the bottom of the ice sheet. Companies will receive 10 points if their calculated depth is within 10 cm of the true depth between the surface and the mark denoting the bottom of the ice sheet. Companies must also calculate the distance (depth) between the mark denoting the bottom of the ice sheet and the mark denoting the seafloor. Companies will receive 10 points if their calculated depth is within 10 cm of the true depth between the mark denoting the bottom of the ice sheet and the mark denoting the seafloor. All depth measurements, and any calculations to obtain depths, must be shown to the product demonstration judge; companies are not allowed to guess at the depth. All depths should be given in meters, at least to the hundredths place (3.41 meters, for example). The ESP will be secured to an elevator located on the bottom of the pool. The ESP and the elevator will be constructed of ½-inch PVC pipe. A cable connector attached to 8 meters of coiled line will also be located on the ESP elevator. The cable connector will be constructed from 1-inch PVC pipe. Both a screw hook and a screw eye will act as grab points on the cable connector, but companies may retrieve the cable connector by any method they wish. Companies will receive 5 points when the ESP cable connector is successfully retrieved. A successful retrieval of the cable connector is defined as the cable connector under control of the ROV and no longer in contact with the elevator. Knocking the cable connector off the elevator does not count as a successful retrieval; it must be under control of the ROV. The cable connector will weigh less than 10 Newtons in water. Two waypoints will be located in an arc between the ESP and the power and communications hub. The waypoints will be constructed of ½-inch PVC pipe in the shape of an X lying flat against pool bottom. The ends of the X will extend 20 cm from the pool bottom. The cable must be laid inside two of the vertical protrusions. Companies will receive 10 points for successfully laying the cable through each waypoint, 20 points total. Depiction of successful and unsuccessful cable lying through waypoints. Waypoint A is an unsuccessful cable lay, as the cable is inside one vertical protrusion only. Waypoint B is a successful cable lay, as the cable is inside two vertical protrusions. Waypoint C is an unsuccessful cable lay, as the cable is only inside one vertical protrusion (the lower right protrusion only). The power and communications hub will be located on the bottom of the pool. The power and communications hub will be constructed from a milk crate. The door on the hub will be constructed from flat RANGER Class 21

23 plastic sheeting and attached with hinges. A 1 cm square of Velcro will secure the door in a closed position. A ½-inch PVC pipe handle will be attached to the door. Companies may use this handle to open the door or open it by other means. Companies must open the door on the power and communications hub to access the port inside. Companies will receive 5 points when the door is successfully opened. Successfully opening the door is defined as the door pushed at least 90 o from the closed position. If the door closes after a company has successfully opened it, they will not lose points. However, the company may need to reopen the door to complete the task. Once the door is opened, companies must insert the cable connector into the port located in the power and communications hub. The port inside the hub will be constructed of 2-inch PVC pipe. The port will be positioned horizontally, i.e. it will be parallel to the pool bottom. Companies will receive 20 points when they successfully insert the cable connector into the port. A successful installation is defined as the 1-inch cross on the cable connector positioned flush against the 2-inch pipe of the port inside the power and communications hub. The cable connector must stay inside the port for 5 seconds after being released by the vehicle to count as a successful insertion. TASK 2: INNER SPACE: MISSION-CRITICAL EQUIPMENT RECOVERY Your company is tasked with locating and recovering CubeSats that sank in the Gulf of Mexico after a recent NASA test launch. While multiple CubeSats were launched, only four mission-critical CubeSats need to be recovered for engineering analysis. Using the serial numbers provided, your company must locate these four CubeSats, recover them, and place them in a collection basket to be brought to the surface by NASA personnel at a later time. CubeSats undergo final inspection at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. Photo Credit: NASA, Dominic Hart. This task involves the following steps: RANGER Class 22

24 Finding and identifying the serial numbers of the four mission-critical CubeSats 5 points each (20 points total). Recovering the four mission-critical CubeSats and placing them in a collection basket 5 points each (20 points total). Total points = 40 Product Demonstration Notes: Companies must see the serial numbers on the CubeSats and verify that they match the mission-critical serial numbers before recovering and placing the CubeSats in the collection basket. Only the four CubSats that match the mission-critical serial numbers may be placed on the collection basket. Companies may complete the steps of the Mission-Critical Equipment Recovery task in any order. Companies may alternate between the steps of the Mission-Critical Equipment Recovery task and other tasks. Eight CubeSats will be located on the bottom of the pool. The CubeSats will be constructed from ½-inch PVC pipe shaped into a square prism. Corrugated plastic sheeting will be attached to two sides of the CubeSats. One side of the corrugated plastic sheeting will have the serial number printed on it in 2-inch, black on white lettering. Companies will receive the serial numbers of the four mission-critical CubeSats during the 5-minute set-up time. All eight CubeSats will be positioned so the serial number is facing downwards and flush against the bottom of the pool. Companies will need to lift or reposition the CubeSats so the serial number can be seen through a video camera. Companies will receive 5 points when they find one of the mission-critical serial numbers, 20 points total. Companies must show the product demonstration judge the serial number on a video display. The serial number may be upside down or sideways, but the judge must be able to verify that it is one of the mission-critical serial numbers. Once a mission-critical serial number is found, companies must recover the CubeSat and place it into the collection basket. The collection basket will be constructed from a 75 cm x 75 cm square of ½-inch PVC pipe. A 2 meter length of rope will be attached to each corner of the PVC square. These four lengths of rope will come together at a float positioned above the collection basket. Companies will receive 5 points for each CubeSat placed into the collection basket, 20 points total. To receive points, the CubeSat must be entirely within the ½- inch PVC square. No portion of the CubeSat may be on top of or outside the PVC square. Only the four mission-critical CubeSats may be placed in the collection basket. If a company places a nonmission-critical CubeSat in the basket, they will be penalized 5 points for each non-critical CubeSat placed in the basket. RANGER class CubeSats will weigh less than 15 Newtons in water. RANGER Class 23

25 Note: The task is complete when all four mission-critical CubeSats are placed within the collection basket. Companies do not have to return the CubeSats or the collection basket to the surface. TASK 3: INNER SPACE: FORENSIC FINGERPRINTING Your company must collect a sample from two different oil mats located on the seafloor and return them to the surface. Once at the surface, your company must analyze a gas chromatograph or fingerprint of each sample to determine the oil s origin. An oil mat around a natural seep on the sea floor. Photo credit: This task involves the following steps: Collecting one sample of two oil mats on the seafloor 5 points each (10 points total) Returning the samples to the surface 5 points each (10 points total). Analyzing a gas chromatograph of each sample to determine the oil s origin 10 points each (20 points total). Total points = 40 Product Demonstration Notes: The steps of the Forensic Fingerprinting task may be done in any order. Companies may alternate between the steps of the Forensic Fingerprinting task and other tasks. Two oil mats will be located on the bottom of the pool. The mats will be simulated by a 5-gallon bucket lid with 4 individual samples on each lid. Oil samples will be constructed from a 1-inch PVC tee and end caps. RANGER Class 24

26 One oil mat and its four oil samples will be painted black. One oil mat and its four oil samples will be painted brown. Companies must collect one sample of oil from each mat and return it to the surface. Companies will receive 5 points for each oil sample collected, 10 points total. Collecting an oil sample is defined as having the oil sample under control of the vehicle and no longer in contact with the bucket lid or the bottom of the pool. If a company drops an oil sample after it has been successfully collected, the company will not lose points for the collection. However, the company must retrieve the dropped oil sample, or a different oil sample, to continue the task. Once collected, the oil samples must be returned to the surface, side of the pool. Companies will receive 5 points for each oil sample returned to the surface and placed on the pool deck, 10 points total. Once an oil sample is at the surface, companies can retrieve the oil s gas chromatograph, or fingerprint. The gas chromatograph will be printed on a laminated sheet and rolled up inside the 1-inch pipe of the sample. Companies must compare the sample s fingerprint to fingerprints of samples of known origins to determine its origin. A handbook of fingerprints of oil samples from known origins will be provided at each product demonstration station, although companies may choose to print and bring their own handbook. To successfully determine the origin of an oil sample, companies must compare the sample s fingerprint to one of the known oil fingerprints and find a match. Note: Keep in mind that oil will weather; that is, its chemical composition will become modified by a wide variety of physical, chemical, and biological processes. Therefore, the sample s fingerprint may not match identically to the fingerprints of known origins. Companies must determine the origin of each oil sample and report their findings to the product demonstration judges during the 15 minute product demonstration run. Companies will receive 10 points when they successfully determine each oil sample s origin, 20 points total. If a company incorrectly identifies the origin of an oil sample, they may not re-analyze the gas chromatograph and try again. Companies may not guess at the origin if they have not retrieved an oil sample. RANGER class companies oil fingerprint handbook will contain gas chromatographs of four known samples. RANGER Class 25

27 A 3-D chromatogram of oil that leaked from the Macondo well during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Each peak represents one of thousands of individual chemical compounds in the oil. The taller the peak, the more of that particular compound is in the oil. Photo credit: Bob Nelson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the Deep-C Consortium ( TASK 4: INNER SPACE: DEEPWATER CORAL STUDY Your company must survey two colonies of Paramuricea biscaya, a deepwater coral found in the Gulf of Mexico. Surveying the corals involves photographing each specific colony and comparing the photo to previous photos of the same colony. Your company must then evaluate whether the coral colony is growing, stable, or decreasing in size. Your company is also tasked with collecting and returning to the surface two colonies of a different coral species, the scleractinian coral Madrepora prolifera, for laboratory analysis. Paramuricid corals from the Gulf of Mexico. Photo credit: Chuck Fisher, Pennsylvania State University RANGER Class 26

28 Madrepora corals from the Gulf of Mexico. Photo credit: left, right, This task involves the following steps: Photographing two coral colonies 5 points each (10 points total) Comparing the photos to photos from previous years to assess their condition 5 points each (10 points total). Returning two coral samples to the surface 5 points each (10 points total) Total points = 30 Product Demonstration Notes: The steps of the Deepwater Coral Study task may be done in any order, although companies must photograph each coral before comparing the photos to photos from previous years. Companies may alternate between the steps of the Deepwater Coral Study task and other tasks. Two Paramuricea biscaya coral colonies will be located on the bottom of the pool. Paramuricea biscaya coral colonies will be constructed from ½-inch PVC pipe. The colonies will be labeled A and B using black on white 3- inch lettering set onto a flat black plastic sheet. Companies will receive 5 points when they photograph each coral colony, 10 points total. The photograph must be a still image, not a video, that includes the entire coral colony and the 3-inch letter; a still image captured from a video is acceptable. The still image can be a digital screen shot, hard copy print-out, or other format. Companies must show the photograph to the product demonstration judge in order to receive points. Once a coral colony has been photographed, companies must compare the photograph to a photograph taken 12 months before. Previous photographs of each of the two coral colonies will be included in a handbook at the product demonstration station. The previous photographs will include the entire coral colony and the 3- inch letter. Companies must compare photographs to assess whether the coral has grown, is stable, or has decreased in size. A coral colony that is growing will have 1) additional branches or 2) colored branches that RANGER Class 27

29 were black in the previous photograph. A coral colony that is stable will have the same number and color of branches as in the previous photo. A coral colony that is decreasing in size will have 1) fewer branches or 2) black branches that were another color in the previous photo. Companies must report to the product demonstration judge whether each of the three coral colonies is growing, stable, or has decreased in size during the 15 minute product demonstration period. Companies may not guess; they should provide their reasoning to the station judge. Companies will receive 5 points for each successful assessment of the coral colony, 10 points total. If a company s assessment is incorrect, they cannot go back and attempt to reassess the coral colony. Paramuricea biscaya coral colonies are fragile and should not be touched by either an ROV or its tether. If at any point during the product demonstration, an ROV or tether touches a Paramuricea biscaya coral colony, companies will receive a 5 point penalty. Multiple infractions will incur multiple penalties, up to two penalties per coral colony, 4 penalties total (-20 points). Companies must also collect a different species of coral, the scleractinian coral Madrepora prolifera. Madrepora prolifera coral colonies will be constructed out of red, brown and pink chenille pipe cleaners mounted into a PVC base. Companies will receive 5 points for each Madrepora prolifera coral colony they return to the surface, 10 points total. Companies will not be penalized for touching or impacting Madrepora prolifera coral colonies. TASK 5: INNER SPACE: RIGS TO REEFS An oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico s Green Canyon lease block #272 no longer produces enough oil to make it economically feasible to continue drilling operations. The plan is to decommission the platform and turn it into an artificial reef. Before removing the top of the platform and converting the base into an artificial reef habitat, the oil well must be capped. RANGER Class 28

30 An artificial reef created from an obsolete oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo credit: State of Louisiana, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Artificial Reef Program. Your company is tasked with securing a cap to the wellhead. This task involves installing a flange on top of the wellhead, securing the flange with a bolt, installing a cap onto the flange, and securing the cap with bolts. An ROV placing a cap on a wellhead. Photo Credit: Oceaneering International. This task involves the following steps: Installing a flange to the top of the wellhead 10 points Securing the flange to the wellhead with one bolt 10 points Installing a wellhead cap over the flange 10 points Securing the cap to the flange with two bolts 10 points each, 20 points total Product Demonstration Notes: The steps of the Rigs to Reef task must be done in order. The bolt must be inserted into the flange before the cap can be installed. If companies cannot complete a step of this product demonstration, they cannot skip steps and continue. Companies may alternate between the steps of the Rigs to Reefs task and other product demonstrations. At the competition, the flange, wellhead cap, and all the bolts will be located on an elevator on the bottom of the pool. The elevator will be within 1 meter of the base of the wellhead. Note: This elevator will be specific to this task; it will not be the same as the elevator used in the Mission to Europa product demonstration. Companies are not permitted to pre-install bolts into the flange or wellhead cap while those components are on the elevator. Only when the flange is installed may the bolts be inserted into the holes to secure it. Only when the wellhead cap is installed can the bolts be inserted into the ports to secure the cap to the flange. RANGER Class 29

31 Companies must attach the flange to the top of the wellhead. The wellhead will be constructed of a cement base with a 2-inch wellhead. At the top, the size of the wellhead will decrease to 1 ¼-inch PVC pipe. The top of the wellhead will be 60 cm to 1.25 meters above the pool bottom. The flange will be constructed of a 3-inch to 2-inch ABS reducer bushing. A length of 1/8-inch rope will serve as a grab point for the flange. Companies must attach the flange over the top of the wellhead. The flange must sit flush against the 2-inch to 1 ¼-inch lip on the wellhead. The flange must be oriented so the Velcro side is facing upwards. Companies will receive 10 points when they have attached the flange to the top of the wellhead. Once a flange is installed, it must be secured with one bolt. Bolts will be constructed from a ½-inch PVC tee and a bolt covered in Velcro loops. The flange will have six holes. Companies may insert the bolt into any of the six holes. The final 5 cm of the 1 ¼-inch cut wellhead pipe will be covered with Velcro hooks. The ends of the bolts will be covered with Velcro loops. The Velcro connection will secure the bolt into the holes and secure the flange onto the pipe. Companies will receive 10 points when the bolt successfully secures the flange. A successful installation is defined as the bolt staying in the hole on the flange when the ROV releases it. If the bolt falls out of the flange, it must be re-installed in order to receive 10 points. Companies must install the cap onto the flange. The cap will be constructed from a 3-inch to 2-inch ABS reducer bushing. A length of 1/8-inch rope will serve as a grab point for the cap. Two ½-inch end caps are attached to the top of the bushing. The cap must be oriented so the Velcro side is facing downwards and the end caps are facing upwards. Companies will receive 10 points for successfully installing the cap. A successful cap installation is defined as bottom of the cap sitting flush against the top of the flange. The bolt securing the flange to the pipe must stay in place when the cap is installed. If the bolt falls out of the flange when the cap is inserted, companies must re-insert the bolt into the flange before they can receive points for installing the cap. Once the cap has been installed, it must be secured by inserting two bolts into the ports on top of the cap. The ports are constructed of ½-inch end caps with Velcro on the inside of the cap. Companies will receive 10 points for each bolt that is successfully installed into the ports on the top of the cap, 20 points total. A successful installation is defined as the bolt staying in the end cap port when the ROV releases it. If a bolt falls out of the cap, it must be re-installed in order to receive 10 points. Any product demonstration items dropped from the vehicle to the pool bottom (flange, cap, bolts) will not count as penalty debris. All three bolts must remain secured in place for 5 seconds after completion of the Rigs to Reefs product demonstration task in order to retain full points. TIME BONUS If a company has successfully completed all five product demonstration tasks and is returning to the surface with corals, the product demonstration time will stop when a member of the company touches the vehicle. Corals on board may be detached and set on the pool deck after the clock has stopped. If a coral is RANGER Class 30

32 subsequently dropped from the vehicle, the company will not receive points for returning the coral, time will not restart, and the company will not receive a time bonus. Note: Oil samples must be analyzed during the product demonstration period. If the ROV returns the samples to the surface at the end of the run, the time will stop when the samples have been analyzed and the results given to the Product Demonstration judge. In this case, the time does not stop when a company member touches the ROV. PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION RESOURCES The RANGER Oil Fingerprint Handbook contains gas chromatographs of oil samples from four locations. The RANGER Coral Colony Handbook contains previous photos of each coral colony. The RANGER Product Demonstration Photos contains photos of completed product demonstration props. The RANGER product demonstration photos will include example photos of coral colonies that are growing, stable, and decreasing in size. See the RANGER Product Demonstration SolidWorks files for CAD representations of the product demonstrations. PART 2: PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION PROP BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS & PHOTOS By popular request, this section has been removed and made into its own, separate document. This document will be released and posted by December 4 th, PART 3: VEHICLE DESIGN & BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS 1.0 GENERAL Questions about vehicle design and building specifications, as well as competition rules, should be posted to Competition Help within the MATE Forum Hub ( This ensures that all companies can view the questions and answers and helps to avoid duplicate questions. That said, companies should make sure that their questions have not already been asked and answered before posting. When posting their question, companies should reference the specific specification (e.g. ELEC-002E). 1.1 Glossary and Acronyms ANSI American National Standards Institute Company Teams providing a ROV System for evaluation purposes RANGER Class 31

33 HD IEC Instrument NEMA LARS Operate PWM SID High-Definition International Electrotechnical Commission A device that contains one or more sensors and a method for converting the information from the sensor into a transmittable and storable form National Electrical Manufacturers Association Launch and Recovery System Correctly performing designed functionality Pulse Width Modulation, a method to electronically vary the effective voltage delivered to an electrical load. System Interconnection Diagram 1.2 Conventions All values contained in this document are threshold values unless specifically stated otherwise. All water depths are given in meters (m). All dimensions and measurements utilize SI units. 1.3 Documentation Required As part of the Technical Documentation, the following SIDs are required. All diagrams must be drawn with a CAD (computer assisted drawing) program. Hand drawn figures are not permitted. All symbols must be standard symbols as specified by ANSI, NEMA, or IEC. DOC-001: SID Electrical: One figure must be an electrical diagram for all the systems above the waterline. This diagram should show the ROV system fuse, controls, and tether connections. A second figure should be an electrical diagram showing the ROV sub-systems and their connections. Both diagrams should not exceed one page in length. The diagrams must not be component level schematics, but a higher level interconnection block type diagram. Do not include individual pins on a board; this is intended to be a higher level diagram. An example of these diagrams is an Electrical One Line Diagram. Examples of acceptable SIDs can be found here: ech%20reports/explorer/explorer/memorial%20university/eer_memorial_university_newfoundla nd_tech_report_final_2014.pdf, page 22 ech%20reports/ranger/ranger/cornerstone%20academy/cornerstone_academy_tech_report_fin al.pdf, page 21 DOC-002: SID Fluid Power: If a company is using fluid power, fluid power diagrams must be provided. The first figure must document the components on the surface. The second figure must document the components located onboard the ROV. RANGER Class 32

34 DOC-003: Independent Sensor Devices: If a company is utilizing an independent sensor device that will be installed and released by the ROV, a SID must be included for this device. This diagram must be completed to the specifications listed in DOC-001. DOC-004: All required documentation sent to the MATE Center MUST be in searchable PDF format (see for information about creating searchable PDFs. DOC-005: DOC-006: All symbols used in documentation must be in ANSI, NEMA or IEC format. The following ANSI and IEC symbols are all acceptable for MATE required documentation. Item ANSI IEC FUSE CIRCUIT BREAKER SWITCH RELAY CONTACT RANGER Class 33

35 2.0 SAFETY Safety is the competition s primary concern and guiding principle. Any system that is deemed unsafe by competition officials will not be allowed to compete. If a safety concern is identified during the initial inspection, companies are permitted to modify their system and have it re-inspected. Companies are permitted to have their vehicle re-inspected twice. If a company fails to pass its third and final safety inspection, it is disqualified from the underwater competition portion of the event. There are NO APPEALS once an ROV has been disqualified. Examples of safety violations from previous ROV competitions include: The electrical SID included in the technical documentation did not show a main fuse or circuit breaker. The ROV used pneumatics, but the technical documentation did not include a pneumatics diagram. The ROV used pneumatics, but the company had not passed the fluid power quiz two weeks prior to the competition. 2.1 Safety Instruction & Observation Program and HSE Awards The Safety Instruction & Observation Program is being coordinated by Oceaneering International. Companies earn points towards a Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) Award through this program. (Visit for a description of the safety inspection protocol used at the international competition and Oceaneering s safety inspection program.) Each member of the company is encouraged to read Oceaneering Americas Region HSE Employee Handbook, with emphasis placed on the following chapters. Chapter 1 - Housekeeping Chapter 9 - Hand Safety Chapter 11 - Lifting and back safety Chapter 12 - PPE Chapter 17 - Tool Safety Chapter 24 Electrical Safety Chapter 29 - Employee Observation Program Chapter 33 - JSEA Chapter 37 - Working at Other sights Job Site Safety Analysis (JSAs) For companies advancing to the international competition, 5 additional points can be earned by creating a JSA and submitting it 1) along with the Technical Documentation and 2) to the Product Demonstration judge when entering the product demonstration station. Regionals may or may not offer points for JSAs. Contact your regional coordinator for more information. RANGER Class 34

36 A JSA describes job tasks in step-by-step fashion, identifies associated hazards at each step, and outlines proper hazard controls that minimize the risk of injury or illness to the individual(s) performing that task. JSAs are used extensively by the offshore industry. For more information and examples, companies can visit the following web sites: Example JSA task items courtesy of Oceaneering International Observation Program The observation portion of the Safety Instruction & Observation Program will be implemented by Oceaneering International at the international competition. During the event, companies may be approached at any time by MATE staff/judges/safety officers and asked questions about the HSE handbook or to address concerns about company s utilization of proper personal protective equipment, operation, or housekeeping. A company s responses will be noted and scored on an observation card. A response viewed as safety compliant will receive 5 points; responses viewed as a safety violation will receive negative 5 points. No points RANGER Class 35

37 will be awarded for responses viewed as marginal. Cards will have a signature block for the company CEO and the MATE observer; the observer retains the cards once signed. The HSE awards will be based on these and on companies total, overall safety points. NOTE: Observations and scores are not subject to debate, including with the Chief Judge. There is no debating safety. 2.2 Safety Pre-inspection Companies MUST submit their company spec sheets and SIDs to their regional coordinator two weeks before their regional competition. Contact the coordinator to determine the proper format for submission. Once received, safety inspectors will review companies spec sheets, SIDs, and/or technical documentation to identify potential safety violations. Companies with violations will be notified via . Once notified, companies must: a. Respond acknowledging receipt. b. Layout a plan to address the violation. c. Submit new documentation if required. Those RANGER companies advancing to the international competition must submit their company spec sheets and SIDs to the MATE Center along with their technical documentation by May 26 th, Note: A separate SID must be submitted even through a SID is included in the technical documentation. All documents must be submitted via: Dropbox. Teams can upload their files to a Dropbox folder and share that folder with the MATE Center (jzande@marinetech.org); OR Google Drive. Teams can upload their files to Google Drive and share the file with the MATE Center (jzande@marinetech.org). International competition safety inspectors will review companies spec sheets, SIDs, and technical documentation, compile a list of the safety violations, and publish them to the competition web site. This is not done to call out or embarrass companies in any way. It is to emphasize the fact that EVERYONE is responsible and accountable for ensuring a safe, successful event. NEW in 2016!!! Penalty points Five points will be subtracted from the safety inspection points (see below) if: Companies do NOT submit the company spec sheet and SID two weeks before their regional event or 4 weeks before the international competition. The SID does not show a fuse or a fuse that does not use an ANSI, NEMA or IEC symbol. The vehicle uses fluid power, but a fluid power diagram is not included. RANGER Class 36

38 The company spec sheet and technical documentation is not submitted in a searchable PDF format. Technical documentation over 8MB in size. Fuse calculations are not shown on the SID. 2.3 Safety Inspection Companies must complete their safety inspection before their vehicles enter the water. Companies advancing to the international competition must complete their initial safety inspection on the first day of the competition. Companies will be assigned to a safety inspector(s). The inspector will reference the list of violations as he/she conducts the safety inspection of the vehicle using the safety inspection sheet. What follows is the safety inspection protocol used at the international competition. Consult your regional coordinator for more information about the safety inspection process used at your regional. 2.4 Safety inspection protocol 1. Before entering the water for practice or a product demonstration run, the ROV system must go through a safety inspection. Once the company successfully passes inspection, they will turn in their safety inspection sheet and be presented with a Green PASSED Flag. Companies must present the Green PASSED Flag to the pool practice/product demonstration coordinator before their vehicles are permitted to enter the water. Each company s flag will be uniquely identified with company number on the flag. 2. Competition staff will conduct a safety inspection of the vehicle using the safety inspection sheet. 3. If the safety inspector(s) identify a safety violation, companies will have the opportunity to address it. The pool practice or product demonstration run schedule will NOT change to allow companies more time. 4. If during the second safety review the a. violation has not been properly addressed or b. another violation is revealed companies will have ONE additional opportunity to address the issue. 5. If during the third safety review a violation still exists, companies will not be permitted to participate in the underwater product demonstration component of the competition. However, companies can still participate in the engineering and communication (technical documentation, product presentation, and marketing display) component. 6. Reminder: All companies must present the Green PASSED Flag to the pool practice or product demonstration coordinator before placing their vehicles in the water. In addition, product demonstration station judges and competition officials can pause or stop a product demonstration run at any time if they feel that there is a potential safety concern. 7. IMPORTANT NOTE: Any company that has not passed its safety inspection before its scheduled product presentation should proceed to its presentation room/location, inform the judges of the RANGER Class 37

39 situation, and deliver its presentation. Once the company has passed its safety inspection, it should return to its presentation room and present the judges with its signed safety checklist. 2.5 Safety Inspection Points The safety inspection is worth 30 points. Each time a company fails its safety inspection it loses 10 points. After a company fails its second inspection, it must meet with the chief safety inspector to discuss a plan of action prior to returning to its workstation. THREE STRIKES and a company a. receives 0 points for the safety inspection and b. is disqualified from the underwater product demonstration component. 3.0 SPECIFICATIONS The ROV system (or system ) must meet the following requirements: 3.1 Operational Multiple Vehicles OPER-001: MULTIPLE VEHICLES ARE NOT PERMITTED. Companies are required to design and build ONE ROV that can complete the necessary product demonstration tasks. Floating eyeballs or other vehicles that are not hard connected to the frame of the main vehicle are NOT permitted. Cameras designed to provide a birds-eye view are permitted provided that these cameras are hard connected to the frame of the main vehicle. Hard connection does not include the wiring between the camera and the ROV Environmental OPER-002: The ROV system must be able to function in fresh, chlorinated water with temperatures between 15 o C and 30 o C. Water emerging from the vent in Task #1 may be colder than 15 o C. The water should be considered conductive of electrical currents. OPER-003: The pool will not be covered or purposefully darkened in any way, although the specific product demonstration tasks may require that your ROV operates in low-light. OPER-004: No water currents will be intentionally created. However, depending on the venue, pressurized pool filtration system outlets may cause unexpected currents. OPER-005: The pool venue at the international competition has a flat bottom. The wall of the product demonstration area may contain small pipes or other small equipment. Companies must be prepared to avoid any of these objects. RANGER Class 38

40 Note: Regional competitions may be held in pool venues with different environmental conditions than those listed here. If you are unfamiliar with the regional pool, contact the regional coordinator in your area Service Requirement OPER-006: Companies shall provide a crew of at least 3 but not more than 6 people on the pool deck to operate the ROV System. Companies can send a larger crew complement, but no more than six can be on the deck at any time. More information about this product demonstration team is provided in the COMPETITION RULES Calibration Requirement OPER-007: All measurement devices shall be calibrated according to manufacturer recommended calibration procedure and performed by company members only. Company mentors or advisors are not permitted to perform calibration procedures. More information about mentor restrictions is provided in the COMPETITION RULES Maintenance OPER-008: System maintenance during field operations shall be conducted by ROV personnel at their workstations. Work of any kind must not be done by company mentors or advisors. All maintenance parts and equipment necessary to meet the operation requirements shall be provided by the company. More information about these regulations is provided in the COMPETITION RULES. 3.2 Mechanical/Physical This section of the document provides specifications for the mechanical properties of the ROV system Materials MECH-001: Any electronics housings on the ROV shall be capable of operating to depths of 7 meters Size and weight MECH-002: ROVs are limited to a maximum diameter of 75 cm. Vehicles above this size will not be allowed to compete. Companies must be able to personally transport the vehicle and associated equipment to the product demonstration station and to the product presentation room. ROV systems must be capable of being safely hand launched. Additional points will be given to smaller, lighter vehicles (see Size and Weight Restrictions). RANGER Class 39

41 3.2.3 Tether Length MECH-003E: At the international competition, ROVs must be capable of operating in a maximum pool depth of 4.8 meters (15 feet). All underwater product demonstrations will take place within 8 meters from the side of the pool. The product demonstration station will be no more than 3 meters from the side of the pool. Tether length should be calculated accordingly. Regional competitions may be held in pool venues with different maximum depths than those listed here. If you are unfamiliar with the regional pool, contact the regional coordinator in your area Vehicle Deployment and Recovery MECH-004: The ROV system must be launched and recovered manually; no powered winches or portable cranes can be used. Hand-powered lifts and levers may be used to launch and recover the vehicle. The vehicle and any associated equipment must not damage any part of the pool or pool deck. MECH-005: Any hand-powered lift or levers that are used as a LARS must be detailed in the technical documentation and must be part of the safety inspection procedure. Any LARS equipment that is deemed as unsafe at the safety inspection will not be allowed. Ladders, tripods, or other bracing equipment are not permitted as part of a LARS Propellers MECH-006: Propellers must be shrouded. ROVs that have propellers exposed will not pass the safety inspection and will not be allowed to compete. A shroud must completely encircle the propeller and extend at least 2 cm in front of and behind the propeller. 3.3 Electrical ELEC-001: All power provided to the ROV system through an external connection for any purpose during the competition must be obtained from the MATE competition power supply. This includes dedicated lines for cameras, manipulators, and any other devices. This is a singular point of connection; all power to the ROV must pass through the MATE-provided fuse AND the single in-line fuse or circuit breaker as specified in this section. The exception to this rule is an independent sensor. If a MATE Center task allows an independent sensor, that sensor may be powered by other means. Sensors that are independent of the vehicle must be powered from the surface; no onboard batteries of any type are allowed. Companies may use USB to connect their sensor to a computer. Companies may also use surface battery packs (limited to 12 volts maximum) or the MATE supply to provide power for their water flow rate sensor. The independent sensor may only contain the intended sensor; thrusters, cameras or other systems MAY NOT be attached to the independent sensor. Companies that use an independent sensor must provide a 3 amp (or less) fast blow fuse on the positive side of their connection. If companies are using the 12 volt MATE supply to power their sensor, both the ROV and the sensor must run through the single fuse before splitting off to the 3 amp sensor fuse. Companies using USB RANGER Class 40

42 only to power an independent sensor may utilize the built-in current limiting of USB and do not need to add an additional fuse. ELEC-002R: The ROV system must be capable of operating off the power provided by a MATE supply with a nominal voltage of 12 VDC. This voltage may be as high as 14.8 volts. Any power supplies used will be set at 12.6±0.6 Volts. At the international competition, power for the class will be provided by isolated power supplies. At regional competitions, power may be provided by isolated power supplies or batteries. Contact your regional coordinator if you have questions about the type of power source being used. Your system should be designed to work with the maximum specified voltage of 14.8VDC. ELEC-003R: The ROV system may deliver any voltage to the ROV at or below the nominal supply voltage provided. Conversion of this voltage is allowed prior to it arriving at the ROV. ELEC-004R: ELEC-005R: ROV systems may use any voltage desired up to 12 Volts. Voltage may not be increased above the nominal 12 volts anywhere in the ROV system. ELEC-006R: Sonar or other systems that may have DC/DC conversion resulting in voltages above 12V nominal are not permitted. ELEC-007R: Voltages in excess of the class parameters set forth in this specification are not allowed on the ROV system at any time other than any inductive spikes that are caused by the switching on/off of motors, solenoids and other inductive devices. Companies should design their systems to handle these voltage spikes but will not be penalized for the presence of these in a system. For additional information on this, companies can research back electromotive forces (back EMF), collapsing magnetic motor fields, and transient suppression Current NEW in 2016!!! ELEC-008R: The ROV system must have a fuse (or circuit breaker) that is calculated based upon the maximum current draw of the ROV. This overcurrent protection must be calculated as follows: ROV Overcurrent Protection = ROV Full Load Current * 150%. The overcurrent protection value may be rounded up to the next standard fuse. In no case can that value exceed the 25A maximum. The fuse or circuit breaker must be installed in the positive power supply line within 30 cm of the power supply attachment point. The fuse may be a slow blow type. The SID and other electrical diagrams must show the fuse or circuit breaker and include the amperage of the overcurrent protection. In addition, the SID must show the calculations used in determining the overcurrent protection value. SIDs without these calculations shown will have 5 point deducted from Safety Points. RANGER Class 41

43 The MATE power supply will be protected by a 25 amp fuse; however, the ROV system must also have its own calculated fuse (or circuit breaker). NOTE: Companies using circuit breakers for their overcurrent protection should ensure that the method used to house the circuit breaker is safe and not so large that it will cause undue strain on the power connector. In the past, oversized and heavy circuit breaker enclosures have caused companies to replace their circuit breaker box with a simple fuse. Anything deemed by the safety inspectors as being too heavy, a hazard, or not done in a workmanship manner will be rejected at the safety inspection. ELEC-009R: ROV systems are allowed one replacement fuse during the product demonstration. In the event that the ROV system blows the second fuse during the demonstration, the demonstration will be over and no additional points will be earned. Companies should have adequate replacement fuses on hand, MATE will not provide replacements. Standard sizes for fuses and fixed trip circuit breakers are 15, 20, and 25 amps. Additional standard fuse sizes are 1, 3, 6 and 10 amps Power Connections NEW in 2016!!! ELEC-010E: Power supply connections will be Red/Black Anderson Powerpole Connectors. Companies ROV system power wires must have proper connectors to obtain power. The Anderson Power Connectors must be connected to the ROV power wires securely; use of a proper mechanical crimper is suggested. Hand crimp tools do not have the force necessary to ensure proper and safe connections. MATE will not provide companies with connectors or adapters at the 2016 International Competition. These are two-piece connectors as shown in the picture below. Part specification and part numbers Anderson Power Pole Red and Black connector with 30 amp contacts Red is connected to power supply positive. Black is connected to power supply negative. Since Anderson sells the connectors in 2500 and 200 piece quantities, these connectors are available from distributors. RANGER Class 42